Posts with the tag: Clubs

Last Saturday I went bird-watching, which was a first for me. Although my ornithological skills were so undeveloped that I didn’t even know ornithology refers to the study of birds, I enjoyed myself and was reminded of a few things.

First, it’s satisfying to recognize something, like a bird, and to know something about it. Maybe this is just because knowledge is self-satisfying. Maybe it’s because life is satisfying, and identifying birds is a way to recognize forms of life outside the little bubble in which I usually confine myself.

Speaking of bubbles, I was reminded that it’s rewarding to expand, or even to leave, the little bubble of me-world. Thinking outside the box is great, and stepping outside of it to try something new might be even better. I was a little intimidated to go bird-watching with several students who already knew a lot more than I did, but it was actually fun to test the waters outside my comfort zone.

I was also reminded that birds are kind of beautiful. “My heart in hiding / stirred for a bird,” to quote the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. Actually, a lot of my favorite literature employs birds in beautiful and symbolic roles. For example, in James Joyce’s “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,” a strange bird-girl provides a medium for divine inspiration. In William Butler Yeats’s poem “The Wild Swans at Coole,” a group of swans embody the poetic speaker’s musings on change and permanence, youth and age. In J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the snowy owl Hedwig’s appearance almost always conveys feelings of friendship, both in her loyalty to Harry and in the form of messages she delivers to and from other friends. My favorite novel—”A Wizard of Earthsea” by Ursula Le Guin—uses birds as balanced fusions of Jungian shadow and light. This novel also has wizards, so it’s not just cool because it’s Jungian.

In sum, you might consider trying out a new club, or reading a poem about birds. Expand your bubble. Observe something you haven’t seen before. Find beauty somewhere. If bird-watching is where you want to start, contact Professor Scott Dransfield. If not, try something else. The sky’s the limit, and that’s not a bird joke.

Are you looking for something fun to do? Do you want to gain a new skill, like Karate or computer programming? Are you itching to explore the exquisite and historic Virginia? Odds are you don’t want to be stuck in your dorm room doing homework or watching Netflix all day, right?

Southern Virginia University can stimulate your involvement, and improve your well-being, with clubs of all kinds. Our lil’ liberal arts self has a wide range of interesting clubs for our diverse student body. From field trips to New York to studying architectural design to building minicomputers, all the way to hiking the breathtaking trail up Cold Mountain, there is most definitely something for everyone. So let me provide an idea of what we have to offer you. Recently, the university hosted a club fair where students could learn about the different clubs on campus. If you didn’t get a chance to attend, or want some more information, check out the clubs featured below!

American Sign Language Club: You don’t have to know how to sign in order to be a part of this club, but it certainly is a great place to learn this useful skill! Visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/svuasl, or contact Matthew Georgeson at matthew.georgeson@svu.edu to be a part of it.

Architecture Club: Take field trips to destinations known for their immaculate architecture, all while creating some yourself with activities like sketching and painting in downtown Lexington. Contact Barbara Crawford at barbara.crawford@svu.edu.

Want to be featured in this year’s publication of The Review? Submissions to the university’s literary magazine are due Thursday, Nov. 19. You might ask why this is of concern to you. The answer is simply that The Review is constantly looking for unknown talent and work that deserves to be highlighted.

The literary magazine annually publishes a collection of the strongest works that the school has to offer, from prose and poetry to the visual arts. Traditionally, digital photography has been the most prevalent submission as far as art goes, perhaps because of the digital nature of the art. However, this year, focus is shifting to look for more varied submissions, such as sculpture and watercolor.

We are also very excited to remind students that $100 and $50 cash prizes are available for first and second place winners in poetry, prose, and art genres.

If you have something that you would like to submit, but aren’t sure how to represent it digitally, email me at jordan.wunderlich@svu.eduand we can coordinate to ensure that your submission is accepted.

If ever there was a “You had to be there” event, it would be Shenanigans. Hard to describe and what I can only imagine to be hard to plan for, the most recent addition to the long line of shenanitastic performances was a blast.

If you’ve never heard of Shenanigans (perhaps because you’ve spent the last several years living in an underground bunker or some such), you should know that they are a comedy troupe that specializes in improv shows a la “Whose Line is it Anyway?” They highlight a fun comedic style as they involve the audience by asking for suggestions for settings and characters and create hilarious situations by playing games with different rules. This all sounds really complicated, but it comes together as old men turn out to be aliens, lovers point guns at each other, and conjoined twins turn out to not be conjoined (much to the distress of one of the twins who never knew).

Overall, Shenanigans is a highly recommended, 10/10 experience. Don’t miss their next performance!

You know, I really just don’t know what fall orientation would be without a mechanical bull. It’s got so much personality. Our good friend returned for yet another orientation last week, joining the university to welcome a slew of new faces.

Day one of orientation is a day for meeting new people and getting the lay of the land, and it’s topped off with a long-standing Southern Virginia tradition, Knight Games (gotta love those knight puns). From bouncy houses to bucking broncos to karaoke, there’s plenty to do and plenty to see. Oh, and eat. Can’t forget the beloved Mama Crockett’s donuts and Shaved Ice Shack, present to pass out free donuts and flavorful icy treats and to transport the day to an entirely new level of awesome.

Knight Games also provides some of the university’s clubs, offices, and honor societies to meet with new students and help them pursue their interests from day one. I was there manning a booth for the Communications Office, as we’re on the lookout for new student interns. If you’re interested in more information, head to our Communications page on the website.

And now, after that shameless plug (really, though, this is an amazing place to work), I leave you with a question: Have you attended a Southern Virginia orientation, just a week ago or in years past? What was your favorite part of your first day?